To dock or not to dock?

So I have my HP Dv7t coming in in about a week and for a while it's going to be probably used primarily for gaming over my desktop due to it being more powerful than my desktop. I have dual monitors and I would prefer not to game directly from the laptops display and was thinking a Docking set up would work really well. But it seems like not a lot of people use docking stations and why is that? I need some advice on whether or not to dock my laptop if i'll be using it as a primary computer! Also if yall do suggest a docking set up which station do yall recommend?

Thanks everyone!

 

I cant recommend a dock for you but most docks have a few display porst( DVI, HDMI, VGA, DP) i feel that is a big reason use docks. Plus it hooks into your batary so no power cable in the side of your computer

 

Consumer HPs have a dock? Last time I checked it was only a port replicator that needed its own power supply.

Docking stations & stands | HP Official Store

 

Docs are primarily a convenience items: With the exception of those items that draw additional power, most laptops have the same capability to connect peripherals--it just takes longer to connect them.

 

If you need it to connect to monitor it's not really needed.

Docks are usually for people who like to take laptops on the go. They can just undock it and go without unplugging all the cables etc.

 

I was wondering the same thing as you for my Latitude. I bought one, but keep contemplating whether I actually need it... Like Bearclaw said, it's more for a convenience thing for people who take there laptops on the go, without having to disconnect everything... I fall under this category as I take my notebook to school, and have it connected to an external display, having to disconnect all that with limited time can be a pain in the rear.

If you really need one, get one, if not, don't.

 

We don't recommend a docking station.

Your HP DV7T does not have a docking station port. So your only option for a docking station is to use a USB docking station. You do not want to do that. You ESPECIALLY do not want to run any video through a USB docking station.

Your best bet is to just connect all of the cables for external peripherals directly to your laptop, and skip trying to use a docking station

 

Oh dear! Rekon we should keep that in mind for those that have lots of peripherals.

 

Well, if you have USB peripherals (mouse, keyboard, USB memory stick, USB headphones, etc), those are just fine to connect to a USB hub.

What you do not want to connect via USB are the peripherals that require lots of bandwidth, such as graphics (monitor) and ethernet-based networking. Those perform terribly through USB "docking stations".

 

I've been using USB docking stations for years and they perform guite well, at work I have a 23" LCD, ethernet, external harddrive (sometimes 3), smart card and sound all coming through it, I use the same setup at home...I don't game, but have done video consumption on it...